The present invention relates to a hybrid IC card having functions both of a contact type IC card, which is supplied with operation power and sends/receives signals via an external terminal, and of a noncontact type IC card, which is supplied with operation power electromagnetically and sends/receives signals without using any external contacts.
Recently, commercialization of hybrid IC cards has been advanced. Such a hybrid IC card is configured by mounting on a plastic card any integrated circuit elements such as microcomputers and memories, and has both functions of a contact type IC card, which sends/receives signals to/from external equipment via an external connection terminal, and a noncontact type IC card, which sends/receives signals to/from external equipment via an antenna. It is intended to use the hybrid IC card as a contact type card when emphasis is placed on security while using as a noncontact type card when emphasis is placed on a quick proceeding. Security is required, for example, when the hybrid IC card is used for payment or for recording a large volume of personal data. A quick proceeding is required, for example, when the card is used as a commutation ticket or when it is used as a prepaid card for shopping at convenience stores.
A conventional hybrid IC card having functions of a contact type card and of a noncontact type card is configured as shown in FIGS. 17-19. FIG. 17 is a plan view showing a hybrid IC card 1, FIG. 18 is the side view, and FIG. 19 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing essential portions of the hybrid IC card.
A hybrid IC card shown in FIG. 17 is configured by embedding an integrated circuit device 10 in a card member 12, and providing an antenna 13 to be connected with the integrated circuit device 10.
As shown in FIG. 18, the card member 12 is made of two layers, i.e., a first layer card member 12a and a second layer card member 12b. The antenna 13 is located and fixed between the first layer card member 12a and the second layer card member 12b. For connecting the antenna 13 with the integrated circuit device 10, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 19, a crossed portion 13b is formed in the vicinity of an end portion 13a of the antenna 13. Measures are taken for preventing insulation failure at the crossed portion 13b, for example, forming an insulator layer 14, or embedding one end of the antenna 13 in the second layer card member 12b. 
As shown in FIG. 19, the integrated circuit device 10 is prepared by mounting on a glass epoxy laminated wiring board with double-sided copper-cladding (hereinafter, abbreviated as a wiring board) 2 an integrated circuit element 6 having functions of a contact type card and of a noncontact type card. An external connection terminal 4 is provided to one surface of the wiring board 2, while an antenna connection land 5 is formed on the opposite surface. A through-hole 3a is formed through an insulator substrate 3 composing the wiring board 2 at a part corresponding to the external connection terminal 4, and the integrated circuit element 6 is bonded and fixed with a die bond resin 7 at a predetermined position. To the integrated circuit element 6, an I/O electrode 6a required for providing a function of a contact type card and an I/O electrode 6b required for providing a function of a noncontact type card are formed. The I/O electrode 6a and the external connection terminal 4 are connected electrically with each other with a gold wire 8 by a so-called wire-bonding method via the through-hole 3a. A bonding land 5a formed on an extended portion of the antenna connection land 5 and the I/O electrode 6b are connected electrically with each other by the wire-bonding method. The integrated circuit element 6 and the gold wire 8 are covered with a sealing resin 9.
For embedding the integrated circuit device 10 in the card member 12, a recess 12c is formed by milling so as to expose the end portion 13a of the antenna 13. Next, the integrated circuit device 10 is bonded and fixed to the recess 12c with an adhesive 15. Then, the end portion 13a of the antenna 13 is applied with a conductive adhesive 16, and the antenna connection land 5 and the antenna 13 are connected electrically. Thus, a hybrid IC card 1 is produced.
However, such a conventional hybrid IC card will be expensive since it comprises a glass epoxy laminated wiring board with double-sided copper-cladding. Moreover, preparation of card members for sandwiching an antenna requires also a complicated and precise process, resulting in a complicated manufacturing method. In view of the reliability, a card comprising an antenna has a poor durability to physical stresses such as bending and torsion, and thus, such a card is inferior to a conventional contact type IC card.
Moreover, because an antenna should be sandwiched between card members for a conventional hybrid IC card, embossing available for a conventional contact type IC card is extremely restricted, and formation of a magnetic stripe is hindered considerably. Namely, some functions that can be available for conventional contact type IC cards will be extremely difficult to obtain.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems of conventional hybrid IC cards and provide a reliable and cost-effective hybrid IC card that is suitable for mass production.
For achieving the above-mentioned purpose, a hybrid IC card of the present invention comprises an IC card made of a card member having a recess for fixing an integrated circuit device having on one surface an antenna terminal and an external connection terminal while on the opposite surface an integrated circuit element having functions of a contact type card and of a noncontact type card is provided, in which the antenna terminal and the external connection terminal are connected to the integrated circuit element, and the hybrid IC card comprises also a housing comprising an antenna and an antenna contact connected to the antenna and to which the IC card can be attached removably. In a state in which the IC card is attached to the housing, the antenna terminal of the IC card and the antenna contact of the housing are contacted electrically with each other for electrical connection, and thus the IC card functions as a noncontact type card.
This structure allows use of a glass epoxy laminated wiring board with single-sided copper-cladding. Moreover, since there is no need of interposing an antenna between the card members, the IC card can be produced in a method of producing a conventional contact type IC card. Since the IC card has no antennas, it will have excellent physical properties just like a conventional hybrid IC card with respect to bending, torsion or the like. Moreover, since there is no need of sandwiching an antenna between card members, the card can be embossed or formed with a magnetic stripe similar to a conventional contact type IC card. Furthermore, since the housing including the antenna serves as a card case, the IC card can be attached to the housing for portability in order to relieve excessive stress applied accidentally, and the thus obtained hybrid IC card will have high reliability.
An IC card according to the present invention composes the above-described hybrid IC card, and comprises a card member having a recess for fixing an integrated circuit device having on one surface an antenna terminal and an external connection terminal while on the opposite surface an integrated circuit element to provide functions of a contact type card and of a noncontact type card is located, wherein the antenna terminal and the external connection terminal are connected to the integrated circuit element.
It is preferable for the IC card that the antenna terminal is located between a group of terminals C1, C2, C3, C4 and a group of terminals C5, C6, C7, C8 defined in ISO-7816. Alternatively, it is preferable that the antenna terminal is located at a position of RFU (Reversed For Future Use) terminal defined in ISO-7816.
Accordingly, the integrated circuit device of the present invention can be produced to have a dimension of an integrated circuit device mounted on a conventional contact type IC card. Therefore, the hybrid IC card can be produced in a facility for producing conventional cards, reducing the production cost.
A housing for the hybrid IC card of the present invention composes the above-described hybrid IC card. It is provided with an antenna and an antenna contact connected with the antenna, and it is configured to allow removable attachment thereto of an IC card.
It is preferable that the housing has a contact for electrical connection with the external connection terminal of the IC card, and the housing is portable. A hybrid IC card configured as described above has reading/writing functions of a contact type IC card, and it enables for a holder of the card to use the functions for confirmation of data recorded on the hybrid IC card, writing of the data, and the like. As a result, a versatile hybrid card can be provided.